The world's population 2015 was 7.3. billion. Asia has the biggest population (60 %), followed by Africa (16 %), Europe (10 %), Latin America and the Caribbean (9 %), North America (5 %) and lastly Oceania. The two largest countries in the world are India (18 %) and Chine (19 %). [1]
The world's population is projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2020, with a further increase to 9.7 billion by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100. Although projections are uncertain to an extent, it is highly likely that the population will continue to rise, with a mere 23 per cent likelihood that it could start to even out or fall by 2100. [2]
Births and deaths are the most important contributors to population growth, followed by immigration. Fertility rates are projected to fall globally from 2.5 children per woman to 2.0 children in 2095-2100. The largest reductions are expected to happen in the least developed nations, currently experiencing the largest growth in population. Large percentages of women living in the least developed nations do not have access to contraceptive methods or family planning. Globally, life expectancy has increased gradually. The biggest increase has occurred in Africa, where an increase of 6 years was witnessed during 2000-2010. Life expectancy is still comparatively low in Africa, with Europe, Oceania and North America having the highest life expectancy. [3]
Connection to food
Whereas births, deaths and immigration are relevant factors concerning population growth, usable land, access to water and population pressures are the most relevant for food security. [4][5]
Countries with ongoing food security challenges also have the highest fertility rates and experience the highest population growth [6][7] . Despite efforts to revive the economy, these countries fail in their attempt to increase production, due to the overwhelming increase in population [8] . These are among the least developed countries in the world [9] . Sub-Saharan Africa is worst affected by food insecurity and the population is projected to grow at least two-fold by 2050 [10][11] . In the region, almost one in four people are undernourished [12] .
Agriculture necessitates access to water and land [13] . These resources become increasingly scarce as the population grows [14] . Increasing the availability of land under such conditions will lead to the destruction of perishable natural resources. This relates to another phenomenon, namely urbanization. Although people living in urban areas have access to sufficient food, the majority of their income is spent on food. In other words, rising food prices will affect them negatively [15] . Rural areas are equally affected, as land ownership becomes less profitable due to lacking ownership rights and land degradation. [16]
Connection to SDG's
SDG goal 6 – Clean water and sanitation Water is essential for everyone on the planet. People growth is doing it more complicated to get fresh water to everybody on the planet. At the moment 1,8 billion people don’t have access to fresh water. By 2030 SDG goal 6 is trying to achieve universal access and affordable drinking water for all. It’s also trying to sustainably increase water usage to everyone and decreasing water scarcity.
SDG goal 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure People growth increases need and demand in societies and puts a great pressure on the industry and infrastructure. One of the SGD 9’s goals is to build and develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, which tackles people growth issues. SDG 9’s goals are also to maintain those standards that are lethal for developing countries where the people growth is biggest.
SDG goal 12 – Responsible consumption and production People growth is affecting the world in many different ways. One is that we are using too much resource at the moment for maintaining it sustainable, and at the same time we are spoiling 30 % of the food that we are producing. That is because of poor transportation, harvesting and storing. One of the goals for SDG goal 12, by 2030, is to achieve sustainable and efficient usage of natural sources. That goal is crucial for maintaining the right balance in the world.
Corporate praxis
The population growth has been an issue and concern in the world since the beginning of 1990's. The first big conference, consisting of 172 governments, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1992. The name of the conference was Earth Summit. The issues discussed in the Earth Summit were sustainable development and the ability to meet future generations needs. The next big conference concerning the same agenda was the Cairo conference of Population and Development. It was organized in 1994 in Cairo and tried to establish broad goals and specific targets for the upcoming 20 years. One year after the Cairo conference, in 1995, there were World conference on Women in Beijing. The conference examined policies and development strategies that addressed the need of women in poverty. In particular education and economic status, because of lower fertility rates in developing countries. [17]
In this video below we interviewed a person who is responsible for transportation and distribution from KWH Freeze, which is a leading company in the sector of freeze storage services.
Innovations
Population growth is affecting everyone on this planet. Through industrialization and mass production we have solved a couple of issues concerning population growth, but new innovations usually leads to new problems. The Director of Changing Places Research Group & City Science Initiative, Kent Larson, is an architect at MIT. He is solving problems that occurs in bigger cities with technology and science. In the video below he talks about the latest innovations in this area.
Definiton
The world's population 2015 was 7.3. billion. Asia has the biggest population (60 %), followed by Africa (16 %), Europe (10 %), Latin America and the Caribbean (9 %), North America (5 %) and lastly Oceania. The two largest countries in the world are India (18 %) and Chine (19 %). [1]The world's population is projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2020, with a further increase to 9.7 billion by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100. Although projections are uncertain to an extent, it is highly likely that the population will continue to rise, with a mere 23 per cent likelihood that it could start to even out or fall by 2100. [2]
Births and deaths are the most important contributors to population growth, followed by immigration. Fertility rates are projected to fall globally from 2.5 children per woman to 2.0 children in 2095-2100. The largest reductions are expected to happen in the least developed nations, currently experiencing the largest growth in population. Large percentages of women living in the least developed nations do not have access to contraceptive methods or family planning. Globally, life expectancy has increased gradually. The biggest increase has occurred in Africa, where an increase of 6 years was witnessed during 2000-2010. Life expectancy is still comparatively low in Africa, with Europe, Oceania and North America having the highest life expectancy. [3]
Connection to food
Whereas births, deaths and immigration are relevant factors concerning population growth, usable land, access to water and population pressures are the most relevant for food security. [4] [5]Countries with ongoing food security challenges also have the highest fertility rates and experience the highest population growth [6] [7] . Despite efforts to revive the economy, these countries fail in their attempt to increase production, due to the overwhelming increase in population [8] . These are among the least developed countries in the world [9] . Sub-Saharan Africa is worst affected by food insecurity and the population is projected to grow at least two-fold by 2050 [10] [11] . In the region, almost one in four people are undernourished [12] .
Agriculture necessitates access to water and land [13] . These resources become increasingly scarce as the population grows [14] . Increasing the availability of land under such conditions will lead to the destruction of perishable natural resources. This relates to another phenomenon, namely urbanization. Although people living in urban areas have access to sufficient food, the majority of their income is spent on food. In other words, rising food prices will affect them negatively [15] . Rural areas are equally affected, as land ownership becomes less profitable due to lacking ownership rights and land degradation. [16]
Connection to SDG's
SDG goal 6 – Clean water and sanitationWater is essential for everyone on the planet. People growth is doing it more complicated to get fresh water to everybody on the planet. At the moment 1,8 billion people don’t have access to fresh water. By 2030 SDG goal 6 is trying to achieve universal access and affordable drinking water for all. It’s also trying to sustainably increase water usage to everyone and decreasing water scarcity.
SDG goal 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
People growth increases need and demand in societies and puts a great pressure on the industry and infrastructure. One of the SGD 9’s goals is to build and develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, which tackles people growth issues. SDG 9’s goals are also to maintain those standards that are lethal for developing countries where the people growth is biggest.
SDG goal 12 – Responsible consumption and production
People growth is affecting the world in many different ways. One is that we are using too much resource at the moment for maintaining it sustainable, and at the same time we are spoiling 30 % of the food that we are producing. That is because of poor transportation, harvesting and storing. One of the goals for SDG goal 12, by 2030, is to achieve sustainable and efficient usage of natural sources. That goal is crucial for maintaining the right balance in the world.
Corporate praxis
The population growth has been an issue and concern in the world since the beginning of 1990's. The first big conference, consisting of 172 governments, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1992. The name of the conference was Earth Summit. The issues discussed in the Earth Summit were sustainable development and the ability to meet future generations needs. The next big conference concerning the same agenda was the Cairo conference of Population and Development. It was organized in 1994 in Cairo and tried to establish broad goals and specific targets for the upcoming 20 years. One year after the Cairo conference, in 1995, there were World conference on Women in Beijing. The conference examined policies and development strategies that addressed the need of women in poverty. In particular education and economic status, because of lower fertility rates in developing countries. [17]In this video below we interviewed a person who is responsible for transportation and distribution from KWH Freeze, which is a leading company in the sector of freeze storage services.
Innovations
Population growth is affecting everyone on this planet. Through industrialization and mass production we have solved a couple of issues concerning population growth, but new innovations usually leads to new problems. The Director of Changing Places Research Group & City Science Initiative, Kent Larson, is an architect at MIT. He is solving problems that occurs in bigger cities with technology and science. In the video below he talks about the latest innovations in this area.Critics
OskarExamples from Finland
OskarOpen sources
G. Zabel (2009). Peak People: The interrelationship betweenpopulation growth and energy resources, Energy BulletinM. Kremer (1993). Population Growth and Technological Change: One Million B.C. to 1990, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 108, no. 3, pp. 681-716.
D. Satterthwaite (2009). The implications of population growth and urbanization for climate change, Environment and Urbanization, Vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 113-127.
External links
MIT, Kent Larson: https://www.media.mit.edu/people/kll/projects/Aalto University, Department of Build Environment: http://builtenv.aalto.fi/en/
United Nations, Population Division: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/
Quiz
Quiz created by Anders Genberg with GoConqrUnited Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision. Accessible: https://esa.un.org/Unpd/wpp/Publications/Files/Key_Findings_WPP_2015.pdf Retrieved 28.3.2017
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision. Accessible: https://esa.un.org/Unpd/wpp/Publications/Files/Key_Findings_WPP_2015.pdf Retrieved 28.3.2017
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision. Accessible: https://esa.un.org/Unpd/wpp/Publications/Files/Key_Findings_WPP_2015.pdf Retrieved 28.3.2017
Population Action International (2011). Why Population Matters to Food Security. Accessible: http://pai.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/PAI-1293-FOOD_compressed.pdf Retrieved 28.3.2017
Population Action International (2011). Why Population Matters to Food Security. Accessible: http://pai.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/PAI-1293-FOOD_compressed.pdf Retrieved 28.3.2017
Ehrlich A.H., Salzman, J, ProQuest (2002). The importance of population growth to sustainability, Environmental Law Institute.